June 22, 2011: Gifts (finally)! Transporter: The Series production update! Bully Brie! Maximus – creature of habit!

Just the other day, I was telling Angela (aka Mega) from across the hall that I felt I wasn't receiving proper acknowledgement for all of my hard work of late.  I mean, sure, I get paid and I work with very nice people who tell me how much they enjoy my scripts, but when's the last time someone gave me a handmade thank you card?

Well, you'll never guess what I got this morning.

Compliments of Mega.  How thoughtful of her!

And she isn't the only one in the office who's been thinking of me…

Der Ritter Sport hazelnutten chokolat!

The other day, Executive Producer Alexander Ruemelin surprised me with some geschmackvolle Festlichkeiten.  Great.  Now I've to be nice to the guy for the rest of the week.  Who says this job isn't demanding?

Oh, in addition to being nice to Alex and proudly displaying my handmade thank you card prominently on my desk in order to guilt my co-workers, I also did a quick polish on Carl Binder's second script (which is going to air in the #2 slot).  As always, Carl's first drafts are terrific, incredibly tight.  BUT NOT PERFECT! Shame on him!  Like my father used to say when I'd score 95% on a test: "Where's the other five percent?".

We're assembling some mighty impressive directors for the show.  Can't wait to tell you more – but will have to for the time being.  Prep continues on the pilot (appropriately named Pilot) with my writing/producing partner Paul out and about on all sorts of location scouts.  Over the next week or so, our cast start arriving.  Tomorrow, the lovely Rachel Skarsten (Delia) comes in for her wardrobe fitting after which she'll participate in what the prep schedule terms "Audi Driving Practice".  Our uber-awesome Stunt Coordinator, Cyril Raffaelli, finally gets into town this weekend…

[image error]

Also coming in on Saturday is our new writer (The Bill, Primeval) who'll be in Toronto for a week or so to break his episode (#10).

Looking ahead, our Frank – actor Chris Vance – gets into town early next week and we'll be celebrating with (says the prep schedule): Props " Show & Tell" (GUNS).  No details provided but I assume I won't be required to to show off any of my firearms.

If Alex gives me one more damn script note, I'm challenging him to a duel.

 On the not-home front (I'm babysitting Fondy place – and her dogs until Saturday), Akemi phoned me in a panic this afternoon.  Apparently, Brie – who has been bullying the other dogs – got into it with Bubba, knicking him.  I checked him out when I got not-home.  He doesn't seem to be in any pain, but he's leaving little bloody smudges wherever he goes.  My attempts to locate the wound have proven fruitless so we're just going to keep an eye on him.  Poor little guy.

Brie bullying Lulu.

Akemi's latest culinary creation…

Apple salad somethingorother. Coconut ice cream is tastier but looks nowhere near as nice.

Finally – dogs are creatures of habit.  Maximus, for instance, always follows the same chair-ducking/wall-hugging path from the front door to the kitchen. Check it out.